Soccer Blog

World Cup notebook: U.S. support at new heights; Dallas’ Gonzalez mentored by Landon Donovan

United States fans react while watching the final minutes of the 2014 World Cup soccer match between the United States and Germany at a public viewing party, in Detroit, Thursday, June 26, 2014. Germany defeated the United States 1-0 to win Group G ahead of the Americans, who also advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup despite losing. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Wire Reports

Today’s matches

France vs. Nigeria, 11 a.m. (ESPN, Ch. 23 in Spanish): The Group E-winning French, who scored eight goals in opening wins against Honduras and Switzerland, have overcome the complete failure of the 2010 tournament and are brimming with confidence. Right back Bacary Sagna went as far as to say it would be a “failure” not to win the tournament. Meanwhile, Nigeria managed to navigate a bonus payments dispute to escape with a second-place finish in a group featuring Argentina.

Germany vs. Algeria, 3 p.m. (ESPN, Ch. 23 in Spanish): Algeria seeks revenge for the 1982 group stage finale that became known as “The Disgrace of Gijon,” when West Germany and Austria played the last 80 minutes without any real effort to score since the result, a 1-0 West Germany victory, allowed both to advance. Mario Götze is expected to replace injured forward Lukas Podolski in Germany’s starting lineup.

U.S. buoyed by growing support

SAO PAULO — The last time the U.S. played in a World Cup in Brazil, just one American reporter was on hand, using vacation time and paying his own way.

Sixty-four years later, about 100 credentialed U.S. media members are covering the tournament — and that doesn’t include staffers from the networks broadcasting the games.

Back home, millions of people are watching on giant screens or office computers, at bars and public gatherings. In their protected Brazilian bubble, U.S. players find out about it via email, text, tweet, Facebook, cable television and all sorts of other inventions that didn’t exist in 1950.

“All the bars and the pubs and restaurants are packed, and it’s all over social media and people are taking off work,” goalkeeper Tim Howard said. “That says a lot. They do that for the Super Bowl. So the fact that they’re doing it for the World Cup is special.”

Stars in other sports are taking notice. San Francisco pitcher Tim Lincecum pulled on a U.S. road jersey after throwing a no-hitter last week.

This kind of attention and hype would have been unimaginable not just in 1990, when the U.S. returned to the World Cup after a 40-year absence, but even as recently as 2010.

“Obviously when we were in Korea, when we were in Germany, South Africa, the support has always been there, but it’s just a lot bigger,” said defender DaMarcus Beasley.

Dallas’ Gonzalez has notable mentor

SAO PAULO — Landon Donovan is still playing a role for the U.S. World Cup team: supporting defender Omar Gonzalez, a Skyline product and his Los Angeles Galaxy teammate.

Watching from California after being cut from the roster, Donovan supplies tips.

“I send messages back and forth with Landon,” Gonzalez said. “He’s been great for me, just giving me advice, and it’s been great having him there just to talk about things.”

A three-time MLS All-Star, the 6-5, 210-pound Gonzalez agreed last August to a multiyear contract paying $1 million in base salary this year and $1.25 million in total compensation. A strong showing at the World Cup could lead to the 25-year-old being sold to a European club.

Dutch airline offends with tweet

RIO DE JANEIRO — What was meant to be a joke has turned into a PR blunder for Dutch airline KLM after it angered Mexican soccer fans by taking to Twitter to celebrate the Netherlands’ dramatic comeback victory.

Within minutes of the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over El Tri, KLM let loose on its Twitter feed a picture of an airport departures sign under the heading “Adios Amigos!” Next to the word “Departures” is the image of a man with a mustache wearing a sombrero.

The post immediately went viral, with A-list Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal using not one but two expletives in a 140-character Tweet to tell his 2 million-plus followers that he’ll never fly the carrier again. The post was pulled a half-hour later without an explanation. KLM later issued a formal apology.

For its part, Mexican national carrier AeroMexico tweeted its support for the country’s soccer team under an arrivals sign.

“Thank you for this great championship,” AeroMexico said. “You’ve made us proud and we’re waiting for you at home.”

A screenshot of the KLM twitter account shows a tweet that appeared shortly after the Netherlands defeated Mexico in the World Cup in Brazil on June 29, 2014. (AP Photo/KLM twitter account)

Briefly…

FIFA selected Algerian referee Djamel Haimoudi for Tuesday’s United States-Belgium match. … A record of almost 389,000 tweets were generated in the minute after Chilean defender Gonzalo Jara’s penalty shot hit the right post and allowed Brazil to advance Saturday. The previous record of 382,000 followed Percy Harvin’s kickoff return in this year’s Super Bowl.

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This blog is a partnership with SportsDay and 3rd Degree, a local soccer blog that has been covering soccer for the D-FW area since 1997. Coverage provided by Steve Hunt, Peter Welpton and Buzz Carrick

Every weekend the show covers the sport of soccer with a Dallas area P1's perspective. From the global game to youth fields that litter the DFW area, Andy & Peter simply talk about soccer and all that implies. You can follow the show on Twitter at @TheKickAround, or send them an email at kickaroundradio@gmail.com